Euphemism Preferences among Swahili-speaking Netizens in Death-related Communication

Abstract

Death is a culturally sensitive and linguistically distasteful topic, often requiring euphemisms to refer to it. While previous studies on death-related euphemisms in Swahili have mainly relied on questionnaire-based data, little attention has been given to naturally occurring data in digital communication among Swahili-speaking netizens. Consequently, the present study examined the euphemistic language used by Swahili-speaking netizens when discussing death. Specifically, the study investigated the nature of expressions used to talk about four subthemes related to death, namely dying, the corpse, the grave, and burial, as well as the linguistic strategies underlying their formation. The study is mainly grounded in Politeness Theory and supported by Conceptual Metaphor Theory. The study's data stemmed from naturally occurring interactions on JamiiForums, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Data collection involved observing written comments on JamiiForums and WhatsApp, and listening to YouTube discussions about death. The collected data were analysed qualitatively. The findings indicate that euphemistic language in digital communication about death among Swahili speakers is mainly shaped by their cultural norms, religious beliefs, and social considerations of politeness. Furthermore, the choice of euphemism is mainly determined by the interaction setting on these digital platforms, where users make linguistic choices depending on the audience and the privacy of communication. The identified euphemisms are expressed through metaphors, slang, borrowing, and circumlocution. By identifying and describing contemporary euphemisms used in actual digital communication about death-related issues, and by examining the influence of culture and politeness on their use, this study provides insights into the evolution of euphemistic expressions in Swahili sociopragmatics and digital communication.